Fushimi Inari Shrine is shrouded in mysterious vermillion light during the Motomiya Festival

In July, on the following Sunday or national holiday after the Day of the Ox, the Motomiya Festival is held at Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社, Fushimi Inari-taisha). On the day of the festival, people from all over Japan from the sub-shrines of Inari Okami come to the head shrine of Fushimi Inari to express gratitude for the divine blessing of Inari.
Also, on the day before the Motomiya Festival, there is a festival called Yoimiya, in which the stone and paper lanterns of the shrine are lit at night. On both festivals, the thousands of lanterns at the shrine are lit up at night, and the shrine is engulfed in mysterious red light. There are not many night illumination events at Fushimi Inari; in fact, these the two days of this festival are the only two days the shrine is illuminated at night!

On the day of the Yoimiya Festival, in the ritual of a thousand lanterns, a priest of the shrine lights up the first lantern, and then the worshippers and people who have just come to see the festival all start lighting up the other lanterns. After all the lanterns are lit, and the sun goes down, the main shrine of Fushimi Inari is bathed in red light glowing off the stone and paper lanterns.

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Paintings on lantern paper

On both days of the festival, there are paintings by Japanese painters in Japanese and western style, and other artists on the Gehaiden hall illuminated by lanterns. There are over 400 paintings you can freely look at.

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Motomiya dance

On both days of the festival, from 7 p.m. there is a Motomiya dance in front of the Sanshuden hall of Fushimi Inari Shrine. Anyone can freely take part in the Motomiya dance.

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Taiko drum performance

In the afternoon on both days of the festival, there is a Japanese taiko drum performance devoted to the gods by the students of the universities of Kyoto. The way the players all play in sync is something magical. How about waiting for the sunset while listening to the beating of taiko drums?

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Erika

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Even if you go to Fushimi Inari Shrine during the day, the shrine is a very mysterious place with the thousands of torii gates, but during the Motomiya Festival, the shrine looks even more fantastic. There are also many food stalls at the event, so it can easily be enjoyed by anyone. If you are in Kyoto during the summer, I hope you will consider going to this event.